Message Me
by YukinaTakanashi
Summary: When Kanami is suddenly called away to lead a mission for five months, Hiyori feels as though she'd die from loneliness. To keep in touch and support each other, the two agree to text every night. However, when Hiyori suddenly confesses her love, Kanami never replies and stops texting her. Are Hiyori's worst fears of Kanami hating her true?


**A/N: I'm back from studying in Kyoto after five LONG months! Although Japan will always be my second home, I'm so glad to be back in Canada. Lol. Still trying to recover from jet lag—the plane ride back home was rough. **

**A lot of you guys have been sending me PMs about wanting me to post another story. Sorry that I've (sort of) been on hiatus lately, so now I will fulfill your wishes.**

**This is a one-shot Kanami X Hiyori fanfic. It's been inspired by recent events because not too long after I returned to Canada, I got asked out on my first date! So...hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

**Message Me**

"You're leaving?"

Despite how hard she tried to be as stoic as possible, nothing could prevent Hiyori's voice from tremoring when she asked that certain question. She could feel the corners of her eyes stinging from the tears she refused to let fall. Keeping her gaze on the girl in front of her, Hiyori watched Kanami awkwardly rub the back of her neck.

"Only for a few months, Hiyori-chan," Kanami replied with a forced smile. "I'll still be in the country. Just...farther away than normal."

"And you agreed to this?" Hiyori asked, her tone slightly tinged with accusation.

She bit her lip once she realized how selfish she just sounded. It wasn't as though Kanami planned this in the first place. She was only doing her duty. Responding to huge aradama threats in northern Japan...what was so different about that? Being sent to lead a mission...for _five_ months...yeah, not different at all.

"Look, Hiyori-chan, I'm sorry but...Director Maniwa insisted. She sounded so desperate for a candidate," Kanami explained. "She said she would've sent Kaoru-chan if she hadn't broken her ankle."

Hiyori nodded in understanding, trying to ignore the tight pain in her chest. This was out of her control! Why wallow in sorrow over it?

_'Because Kanami is your best friend,'_ Hiyori told herself.

Best friend... Was that even a definition worthy enough to describe her relationship with Kanami? Because ever since they defeated Tagitsuhime, for some strange reason the Heijou Toji felt as though their emotions for each other...changed. Kanami gave Hiyori a sense of care and reassurance—something she hadn't felt since her mother's passing.

Could she and Kanami possibly be called "partners" similar to Ellen and Kaoru? Hiyori thought back upon the interactions she witnessed between the blonde Toji and pink-haired loli. After some reflection, the Heijou Toji concluded that even the word "partner" was too casual for what Kanami was to her. Sure, the Minoseki Toji always had her back during missions and would relieve her of her burden...but, it still wasn't the same.

Kanami... The only person she could voice her true feelings to. The only person who understood her. The only person who made her feel things she never felt before. Hiyori couldn't bear the thought of her leaving.

Eventually, the Minoseki Toji interrupted Hiyori's thoughts by saying, "We'll keep in touch every day, alright? That way it won't seem as though we're apart."

"Kanami?"

With her usual chipper grin, the Minoseki Toji winked at Hiyori before waving her phone.

"Message me."

* * *

The first few days since Kanami's departure filled Hiyori with a loneliness so heavy she could almost feel her heart break. Because of her former indifferent attitude towards others, Hiyori never was a girl considered popular among her schoolmates. On some occasions, this would ensue not-so-quiet disdainful whispers whenever she'd pass through the Heijou Institute hallways. But even so, whatever insults her schoolmates threw at her, Hiyori always had the end of each day to look forward to—the time when she and Kanami would both have the opportunity to text each other.

_**'****The first day was fun, but also difficult. I've never led a team before, so I was really nervous at first.'**_

_**'****I'm sure you'll be a great leader, Kanami.'**_

_**'****Thanks, Hiyori-chan. I've sent a photo of my team. What do you think?**_**'**

_**'****Why do you look as though you just sneezed in it?'**_

_**'Eh he he. It's a long story...'**_

_**'****Well, we have all night.'**_

Texting back and forth every night... Texting about the day's adventures... Anything from simple mission mishaps to eating mint-chocolate ice cream, the two of them would sacrifice many hours of sleep just to communicate with each other. Even if there was time for only a few words to be exchanged, to Hiyori it was almost as though she was still in the Minoseki Toji's company. That was all she truly desired...

But after two months passed, Hiyori received an abnormally long message from Kanami that didn't seem to have been written in her normal chirpy spirits. It was evident the stress of the mission was overweighing the Minoseki Toji's mind.

_**'****Taking charge really troubles me, Hiyori-chan. I usually just take action after close observation of my opponent, but the Tojis I have to lead depend on me for strategy. Perhaps if I didn't have so many responsibilities right now, I wouldn't be tossing and turning at night, nor having bad dreams. I wish you were here so badly, Hiyori-chan. I'd give anything to have you by my side right now.'**_

Hiyori was in great distress and got a splitting headache when she read Kanami's text of apparent anxiety. It was clear that words of comfort needed to be given to ease the Minoseki Toji. After all, in her own times of distress, Kanami was always there for her. Now, she needed to be there for Kanami. Letting out a deep breath, Hiyori let her fingers type out the words from her heart.

_**'****Kanami, remember that you have been chosen by Director Maniwa, specifically for your skills. If you didn't have the traits of a good leader, she wouldn't have in the first place. Kanami, not only are you strong, but you also have a caring heart that readily looks out for others. If that doesn't already make you a good enough leader, then I don't know what will.'**_

Hiyori hesitated before typing out: _**'Take care, Kanami. I love you.'**_

Second thoughts started to swirl through her brain, as her thumb hovered over the _Send _button. Would Kanami think of her as weird? She shouldn't, should she? It was common for friends to express their love for each other plainly. Right?

Hiyori took a deep breath, before sending her message. It didn't matter. What was important was giving the girl she cared for the encouragement she needed. Placing her phone underneath her pillow, Hiyori dozed off, the words _I love you_ continuously flashing through her mind.

* * *

With creased eyebrows, Hiyori stared at her phone screen at that last message.

_**'****Message last read: one month ago.'**_

One month... One whole month since she sent that message. And still, Kanami never replied back. Maybe she was just busy.

_'But even when she was, she'd at least send a quick text and tell me,'_ Hiyori thought, sadly.

She was perhaps just overthinking things. There could be many other possibilities. Kanami could've lost her phone or maybe even broke it.

_'Still, she would just borrow someone else's if she did.'_

Hiyori sighed, before turning off her phone. She should've known. Kanami definitely got grossed out by her and was now blocking her out entirely.

_'I should've never sent that message,_' Hiyori internally scolded herself.

She could feel the strings of her heart tugging painfully. She ruined their friendship. Kanami now hated her.

To make matters worse, now without the friendly encouraging words of Kanami, the jeering Hiyori would hear at school only seemed to grow louder with each passing day. She kept a stoic face, of course, as she always did. Hiyori's proud, hard heart refused to show weakness of any sort. But even though her face appeared indifferent, in truth, the abusive remarks of her tormentors cut through Hiyori like knives.

_'Am I really going to be alone now? Even after Kanami comes back? I don't...want to be alone...'_

"Juujou-san?"

Hiyori hastily stuffed her phone into her uniform pocket, before glancing at her classmate, Iwakura Sanae. The silver-haired girl was staring at her with concerned eyes.

"Are you okay, Juujou-san? You look as though you're about to cry."

"No, I'm not," Hiyori replied, a bit too quickly.

Sanae gave Hiyori one look that told her she wasn't convinced. She put a hand on Hiyori's shoulder in an attempt to comfort the ebony-haired beauty.

"Juujou-san, please tell me what's wrong," Sanae pleaded.

Hiyori's first thought was to conceal her feelings as she normally did, but she thought that unfair to Sanae. Sanae was only trying to look out for her as usual. Hiyori bit her lip, as she thought back to the many times she rebuffed the silver-haired girl's attempts to befriend her.

_'You're not the same girl as before. Let her in,'_ Hiyori told herself.

It only took Hiyori a few quick words for her to explain her worries to her classmate. Sanae remained quiet, never interrupting to say remarks or ask questions, but simply waited for Hiyori to finish.

Giving Hiyori an affectionate gaze, Sanae, at last, said, "Thank you for sharing. I understand how hard it must be to confess like that and not know how your loved one feels."

"It wasn't even a full-blown confession, Sanae," Hiyori groaned. "What do I do?"

The silver-haired girl smiled and took Hiyori's hands in her own. "Etou-san won't be gone forever, Juujou-san. She'll be home soon and then you both can talk to each other face-to-face."

"What if she really does hate me though and doesn't want to?"

Secretly, Sanae didn't think such a thing very likely. She'd seen before how Kanami and Hiyori interacted with each other. Sanae didn't imagine she'd ever see the vulnerable side of Hiyori that only Kanami could draw out of her.

"I don't believe Etou-san ever could hate you," Sanae said. "It could be just like you told me. Maybe she's busy or can't use her phone for some other reason. Whatever the case I think it's best to not dwell on it and wait until she gets back. Okay?"

Hiyori sighed, letting her eyes fall down to her hands on her lap. "Okay."

* * *

"It's the ice queen again."

"Honestly, why does she still remain in this school? Hasn't she already 'fulfilled her mother's duties' as she calls it?"

"It's hard to even believe she's the daughter of Hiiragi Kagari in the first place."

Hiyori clutched her books tighter to her chest. She walked as swiftly as she could down the school hallway, so as to distance herself as much as possible from the bullies sneering her way. If she was still the same tough and unfeeling girl she was before meeting Kanami, Hiyori would've taken no notice to comments such as these.

When she reached her dorm room, Hiyori couldn't help releasing the small gulp she had stuck in her throat, free from any judgmental eyes. Her gaze fell on the phone laying on her desk. Her mind told her to leave it be and start her homework, instead of waiting for a reply that most likely would not come in a long time.

Five months had passed. Kanami was supposed to be coming back today, but the Minoseki Toji hadn't even sent her a text about her return. No information about how her mission went nor what time she'd be reporting back to Director Maniwa. Nothing.

Hiyori sat down and opened her textbook, trying to push her worrisome thoughts to the back of her mind. Five minutes hadn't even passed before she gave up, grabbing her phone and flipping it open.

"Still no reply..." she sighed.

This was ridiculous, her acting like some lovesick schoolgirl waiting for a text reply. Why was she getting so worked up about this?!

Hiyori lay on her bed, burying her face into the bedsheets. Kanami had always been there for her. Every night. Texting heartfelt words of encouragement in tough times. Even if they were short, those words meant so much to her.

_'I want to see you, Kanami. Even if it's just one last time...I want to see you from the bottom of my heart...'_

Curling herself up into a ball, Hiyori didn't bother holding back her tears anymore, letting them fall on the bedsheets. For a few minutes, she just lay there with her eyes closed in complete silence. The heavy toll of sadness on her mind made her so drowsy that she didn't even realize she had dozed off until her phone started buzzing.

Up jumped Hiyori. Flipping open her phone, her eyes were greeted with two words on her screen: _**'I'm outside.'**_

* * *

Hiyori had never run faster in her life without her jin'i. She didn't even notice the stares of her schoolmates, as she raced down the hallways to the Heijou Institute courtyard. Her feet paused when she saw standing outside just a few feet away from her the familiar figure of the girl she loved. For a moment, they just stared at each other, both of their hearts racing with emotion.

At last, Kanami gave a slightly sad smile, saying, "I'm back, Hiyori-chan."

For three whole months, Hiyori was consumed by the fear of Kanami hating her. The thought of no longer having the comforting presence of the Minoseki Toji...Hiyori couldn't bear it. Yet, seeing again the same caring brown eyes of Kanami filled Hiyori with relief so great that she could feel her heart pounding with speed against her chest. The Heijou Toji's lungs heaved quickly, as she began hyperventilating from her overwhelming emotions.

"Kanami..."

When the Minoseki Toji held out her arms, Hiyori didn't hesitate to run into them. The two girls held each other tightly as though they never wanted to let go.

"I've missed you, Kanami," Hiyori whispered.

"I've missed you too, Hiyori-chan."

Hiyori choked out, "I thought I'd never see you again. I thought you hated me."

Kanami pulled away from their embrace slightly, so she could look Hiyori in the eye. A confused look was plastered on the Minoseki Toji's face.

"Hate you? Hiyori-chan, what could possibly make you think that?"

Hiyori could feel her cheeks burning. "Because...you never replied to my text. I thought for sure you thought of me as weird or gross for sending it. So, I believed that you didn't want to be with me anymore."

"Oh, about that," Kanami began sheepishly, "the reason why I couldn't reply was actually that the aradama my team and I were sent to contain...well, it ate my phone."

Hiyori blinked twice, wondering if she heard the Minoseki Toji correctly. The awkward grin on Kanami's face told Hiyori she wasn't joking.

"It took us a long time to track the aradama down. Like literally more than a couple of months cause we kept losing it," Kanami said.

"Good news is that I got my phone back once we, at last, got rid of the aradama," she added, pulling it out of her pocket. "And it still works, surprisingly!"

Hiyori found she still couldn't say anything out of bewilderment. Here she had been worrying for nothing when really everything was all because of a silly situation. All because an aradama swallowed Kanami's cellular device?! Without realizing it at first, a chuckle left Hiyori's mouth before she burst into a peal of very un-Hiyori-like giggles.

"Hiyori-chan?"

The Heijou Toji wiped a tear before taking a few deep breaths to calm her hysterical laughter. "I'm relieved...so relieved."

Kanami gave a light laugh of her own, before hugging Hiyori again. "I could never hate you, Hiyori-chan..."

She opened her phone, saying, "Oh and about that last text message you sent me, here's my reply."

Hiyori could feel her phone buzzing in her uniform pocket. Giving a curious and slightly hesitant look at Kanami, the Heijou Toji's trembling fingers flipped open her mobile device.

_**'****I love you too.'**_

Her eyes widening and mouth slightly open, Hiyori looked back into Kanami's eyes. A mist-like glaze was over them due to the tears in them. However, they weren't tears of sorrow, but of love. Kanami slowly took Hiyori's chin in her palm, almost as though the Heijou Toji was made out of delicate porcelain.

"May I?"

Hiyori blushed, before giving a small nod and raising her lips.

Away from sight, Sanae let a smile creep up her face at the scene. Withdrawing as discreetly as possible, she left the courtyard, leaving the two lovebirds alone.

_'Be happy, Juujou-san.'_

* * *

**A/N: Hope you liked this fanfic. As I've said before, many of the events are based on my own real-life experiences these past five months. **

**Basically, my now-boyfriend and I spent a long time away from each other, only keeping contact through messaging. (We were both studying in Japan but in different cities.) I was like Hiyori when he stopped texting. I was afraid that I said something wrong, but my friends told me to wait and not worry about it just like Sanae. Turned out his phone got crushed to bits and he had to buy a new one, but he couldn't remember the numbers of any of his contacts (including mine). Lol. And basically, now we're dating. **

**Hope you enjoyed reading and will be posting more one-shots soon. See ya then!**


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